1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an emergency reporting network system for vehicles such as automotive vehicles. This invention also relates to a terminal apparatus used in an emergency reporting network system. In addition, this invention relates to a method of reporting an emergency.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional emergency communication apparatus for a vehicle is started when an emergency occurs in the vehicle. After the start, the conventional apparatus tries to connect with a police station or an emergency report receiving center via a mobile telephone network. When connection has been established, the conventional apparatus allows speech communication between a user of the apparatus and an operator in the police station or the emergency report receiving center.
It is known to provide a vehicular emergency communication apparatus with a handsfree system circuit which allows handsfree speech communication between a user of the apparatus and an operator in a police station or an emergency report receiving center. In such a known apparatus, it is possible for the user to adjust the volume (the loudness) of sound generated from a loudspeaker used by the handsfree system circuit. Therefore, if the volume level is erroneously preset to a minimum, the user can not hear reproduced operator's voice during handsfree speech communication. In the known apparatus, the loudspeaker is designed for the exclusive use of the handsfree system circuit. The exclusive loudspeaker occupies a corresponding space in a related vehicle.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 5-20578 discloses a present position emergency informing device mounted on an automobile. The emergency informing device in Japanese application 5-20578 includes a crash sensor, a position detector, and an automobile telephone. When the automobile causes a crash, the crash sensor detects a related impact force. At the same time as the moment of detection of the impact force, the position detector is operated. Subsequently, an emergency section such as police is automatically contacted through the automobile telephone. Then, the accident and the position where the accident occurs are automatically notified to the emergency section.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 5-5626 discloses a navigation system which is designed so that data of emergency numbers fed from a CD-ROM, and its own position data of a vehicle estimated by means of a location device are stored in a FIFO memory. In addition, voices produced in the vehicle are stored in a voice storing device, and personal information about the driver of the vehicle and his fellow passengers is stored in an ID card device. In the navigation system of Japanese application 5-5626, the occurrence of an accident is detected by comparing a change in the signal of an acceleration sensor with a predetermined change in accident-caused impact acceleration. Upon detection of the occurrence of an accident, the information is outputted from the FIFO memory, the voice storing device, and the ID card device externally via a communication unit.